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Hello Quo

Documentary recounting Status Quo's epic story. The original members of the band tell their story, alongside interviews from some prominent Quo fans like Paul Weller and Brian May.

You don't sell 128 million albums worldwide without putting in the graft and Status Quo are, quite possibly, the hardest-working band in Britain. Alan G Parker's documentary Hello Quo, specially re-edited for the BBC, recounts the band's epic story from the beginning - when south London schoolmates Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster formed their first band with big ambitions of rock 'n' roll domination, quickly adding drummer John Coghlan and guitarist Rick Parfitt.

The film tells the story of Quo's hits from their unusually psychedelic early hit, Pictures of Matchstick Men, followed by a run through their classics from Down Down to Whatever You Want.

The band laughs off the constant ribbing about only using three chords and the film explores how Quo's heads-down boogie defined UK rock in the early 70s. Fender Stratocaster in hand, Quo have stood their ground and never shifted, but they have managed to adapt to scoring pop hits over five decades.

The original members of the 'frantic four' tell their story of a life in rock 'n' roll, alongside interviews from some prominent Quo fans, such as Paul Weller, whose first gig was the Quo at Guildford Civic Hall, to Brian May, who waxes lyrically about the opening riff to Pictures of Matchstick Men, while even Sir Cliff plays homage to the denim-clad rockers.

1 hour, 20 minutes

Last on

Sat 16 Apr 2022 02:05
BBC Four

Clip

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • Status Quo

    Two Way Traffic

  • Status Quo

    Pictures Of Matchstick Men

  • Status Quo

    Rockin' All Over The World

  • Status Quo

    Whatever You Want

  • Status Quo

    I Who Have Nothing

  • Status Quo

    Spicks And Specks

  • Status Quo

    Paradise Flat

  • Status Quo

    Ice In The Sun

  • Status Quo

    Roadhouse Blues

  • Status Quo

    Paper Plane

  • Francis Rossi

    Pictures Of Matchstick Men

  • Status Quo

    Down Down

  • Status Quo

    Caroline

  • Status Quo

    Roll Over Lay Down

  • Status Quo

    Mystery Song

  • Status Quo

    Don't Waste My Time

  • Status Quo

    Rockin' All Over The World

  • Status Quo

    Livng On An Island

  • Status Quo

    Whatever You Want

  • Status Quo

    In The Army Now

  • Status Quo

    Caroline

  • 00:01

    Status Quo

    Whatever You Want

  • 00:04

    Status Quo

    Whatever You Want

  • 00:19

    Status Quo

    Caroline

  • 00:20

    Status Quo

    Down Down

  • Status Quo

    Whatever You Want

  • Status Quo

    Red Sky

  • Van Halen

    Jump

  • Status Quo

    Again And Again

  • Eric Spear

    Coronation Street

    Performer: Ronnie Hunt.

  • Status Quo

    Rock 'N' Roll 'N' You

  • Status Quo

    Two Way Traffic

  • Status Quo

    In My Chair

  • 00:26

    Status Quo

    Rockin' All Over The World

  • 01:05

    Coronation Street

    Theme

Credits

Director Alan G Parker
Producer Alexa Morris

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BBC Music: Status Quo

BBC Music: Status Quo

Clips, interviews and playlists on BBC Music's Status Quo page